The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that a North Eastern Cultural and Information Centre will be set up in Delhi soon. He was briefing the media here today. He said that this will be a new gift to the people of North East (NE) India. He said that this is in line with the priority being given to North East by the Union Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Dr. Jitendra Singh said that Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had allotted a land measuring 5341.75 sqm. (1.32 acre) at Sector-13, Dwarka, New Delhi, at a cost of approx Rs. 6 crore, to North Eastern Council (NEC) for the purpose of construction of North Eastern Cultural and Information Centre. He said that this Centre will act as a cultural and convention/information hub of the North Eastern Region in Delhi.
The Minister said that it will be constructed at par with the international standards and will have a library-cum-reading room with material on North Eastern Region, an art gallery showcasing the North East. The project is expected to be completed within 1-2 years and at a cost of approximately Rs. 50-55 crores, he added. Highlighting the other initiatives, he said that the Ministry of DoNER has created “Venture Capital Fund” for the young Start-Ups and entrepreneurs, who decide to initiate an enterprise in NE region. He also said that, keeping in view the large number of NE students studying in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the foundation stone was laid in JNU in July 2017, for the construction of Barak hostel for accommodating NE students. Similarly, the foundation stone was also laid in Bengaluru University in June 2016, for the construction of a hostel exclusively for girl students from Northeast. Four permanent stalls have also been set up in Dilli Haat to promote North East products, he added.
The Minister said that ‘Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Center for Policy Research and Analysis’ was formally launched at the Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management (RGIIM), Shillong, as a step towards linking the NEC with institutes of excellence to make it as a state-of-art resource centre. He said that a number of fast-track initiatives have been undertaken in order to make the conditions more conducive and friendly to attract investors from outside. He said that steps are being undertaken for providing better connectivity to this region via rail networks, roads and waterways. He further added that tourism has gained momentum in the North East in the last few years, which is giving boost to the economy there. He also talked about the setting up of Brahmaputra Study Centre in the Guwahati University. Shri S. N. Pradhan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of DoNER said that the North Eastern Cultural and Information Centre will act as a hub for cultural and convention related activities of North East. He further said that it will be a vibrant national Centre for the international exposition of art and culture. He said that a series of events on North East India will be organized by the Ministry of DoNER later this year.